Authorities looking for pizza oven thieves

Still images from surveillance video, released by the Walworth County Sheriff's Office, shows a vehicle in the parking lot of a renovated building at W7404 County Highway X in the town of Darien on Oct. 17. Authorities believe the driver of the vehicle was involved in the theft of a commercial pizza oven.

Walworth County sheriff's deputies are investigating the theft of a commercial pizza oven from the parking lot of a renovated building at W7404 County Highway X in the town of Darien, according to a news release from the Walworth County Sheriff's Office.

The building is the former Johnny Angel's Pizzeria & Pub Restaurant.

Video surveillance at 3:51 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17 shows a full-sized pickup truck with dual-rear tires leaving the property with half of the pizza oven loaded in its bed. Leaving directly behind the truck is what authorities are identifying as either a Ford Taurus or a Mercury Sable station wagon. The video reveals both vehicles leaving the parking lot and heading south on County Highway X toward Interstate-43.

The same truck is observed on video at 5:56 p.m. that day, leaving the business with the other half of the pizza oven in the truck bed. Once again, the vehicle is seen leaving south on County Highway X toward I-43.

According to the release a contractor working at the business on Monday, Oct. 28, returned from his dinner break between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and found half of the stolen pizza oven in the parking lot.

Authorities say the size and weight of the pizza oven requires more than one person to lift it, so they believe several people are involved in the theft.

Anyone with information on the theft should contact Detective Robert Sharp of the Walworth County Sheriff's Office at (262) 741-4424.

Anonymous tips can be made by calling the Walworth County Crime Stoppers at (262) 723-2677 or at the TipSoft website, www.tipsoft.com.